September News

September

We are well underway.  These kids are picking up on the new material perfectly.  We all know it’s weird to sing about Santa in August, but it is what it is.  We have to start now to be the wicked awesome rock stars that we want to be in December.

A Few things to keep in mind:

Esther-

A quick update.  Patrick is doing much better.  He was able to come home from the hospital yesterday!  I think Esther should be back with us next week!  Yay!  We miss her.  Thank you all for your kind words and offers to help me out.

Costumes

Tonight during class we tried on costumes.  I tried them on all of my new friends.  You will notice the additional charge on your tuition statement.  IF YOU ARE A RETURNING STUDENT THAT NEEDS A NEW COSTUME OR PIECE OF A COSTUME let me know ASAP.

Used Costumes-

I had a few friends move up to the Harmonic tunes this year.  If you are interested in selling your Tiny Tune costume let me know.  Shoot me an e-mail that includes what size it is.  I’ll try and match it up with a new student.  Save some money for everyone.

TaVaci Trivia-

Harmonics- without help, show me the sign language for Mary Did You Know.  Start at the beginning and stop at “would soon deliver you.”

Tinys- sing and show me the actions for “You gotta dance to the beat the Frosty way.  You gotta move your feet the Frosty way.”

If you can complete the trivia challenge either next week or the following week I will have a special surprise for you!

Thank You!

Thank you for sharing your babies with us.  They are so fun.  Also, thank you for being patient with me as my heart has been in the hospital with a special and dear friend.  Thank you for your prayers.  Esther has truly felt the effect.  Thanks.

CALL ME, MAYBE?

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to give me a shout.

betsyga@bellsouth.net

I will post this newsletter as well as each monthly newsletter on our blog:  spotlightkids.blogspot.com

May 2012

May 2012

The countdown has started!  Our concert is just two weeks away and I’m starting to get my nervous twitch.  (that’s actually a good sign)  I’m excited for you to see what we’ve been up to.

A few things to consider:

Costumes:

All costumes should now be complete.  If you are missing a piece to your costume PLEASE bring it to my attention ASAP.  Remember that jazz pants will be long and will need to be hemmed.  Please make sure to keep your costumes looking nice and clean.  We will be using them again in the fall! 

HELPFUL NOTE!!!  It has come to my attention that the little girls costumes should be taken to a cleaners if they need to be cleaned! 

The red will bleed onto the white.

Performances:

Our practice performance will be held at the Bridge assisted living center.  We will sing several, but not all of our songs.  We will not do speaking parts or use props.  Please prepare your kids.  The area that we have to sing is not huge, but the grandmas and grandpas LOVE us.  We will wear our costumes when we sing for them.  It’s fun and the kids look so stinkin’ cute in them.

Hair:

When we perform please have your childs hair pulled away from their face.  They have the cutest facial expressions and I want you to be able to get the full effect.  Make sure that their bow or flower is securely fastened and won’t fall out during our performance.  They are just for décor.  The hair should be held in place with an elastic and hair spray (I know they all hate it, but it helps with fly aways).

Make-up:

The stage lights are bright and harsh on little faces.  A small amount of make-up goes a long way.  Some mascara, blush, and lipstick will make a huge difference. (Even for the boys =)

Invitation: 

I am going to create an e-vite for our concert.  I will send it to all of you.  If you don’t receive it, please shoot me an e-mail and I will add you to the list (there are a few of you that I still don’t have an e-mail address for.)  Please feel free to add anyone to the e-vite that you would like to.  Admission to the concert is free.  It is a fun night for kids of all ages so invite away.

Parade:

We will wear jean shorts and a TaVaci T-shirt.  If you don’t have a TaVaci T-shirt, please wear a red, white, or blue T-shirt or a patriotic T-shirt.  Don’t wear your costume.  IT”S TOO HOT!!!

Calendar:

May 3- Tuition Due

May 9- Performance- Bridge Assisted Living Center

220 Collins Industrial Way

 

 Lawrenceville, GA 30043
(678) 377-8191

-          6:00- arrive

-          6:30-7:00- perform

May 10- Last Regular Class
May 18- Blocking Rehearsal- Collins Hill High

-          6:00-7:00 (everyone)
-6:00-7:30 (Harmonics)

I’ll try to be prompt, but the Harmonics do have some difficult staging.
May 19- Dress Rehearsal

- 9:30-11:30 (full costume no hair or make-up)

May 19- TaVaci School of Performing Arts

 Presents:  This is Our Moment

6:30- kids  arrive ready to go
7:00- 8:00This is Our Moment

 May 23- Last day of School
May 28- Memorial Day Parade

            Hebron Baptist Church Parking Lot

9:30-  Arrive

10:00-  Parade starts

Parade ends at the same place.  Enjoy the parade and then come back to the parking lot to collect your kiddos.

2012-2013 Registration:

Please notice the registration form attatched to this newsletter.  Please go ahead and let me know that I can plan on your kids for next fall.  The registration fee is usually $20, but if you get it to me before the concert I will take it to $10/family.  I’m thinking that I would like to divide my Tiny Tune class.  This would mean that I would have a 4:30 and a 5:”30 Tiny Tune class.  On the registration form, let me know which class time works best for your family.

I really hope that we will have every one of our friends back with us in August.  Now is a great time to tell your friends about TaVaci.  Invite them to the concert and let them come along this fall.

The best advertisement I have is you.  Thank you for telling your friends about us and what we love doing.

Questions?

If you have ANY questions please feel free to

e-mail:  betsyga@bellsouth.net

Call:  770-237-0647  or

Cell:  770-480-4491

I really want this to be a fun experience for our kids.  So, no stress.  We’ve prepared them well.  They know their stuff.  They are cuter than is allowed by law.  And, we love them.  So, let’s let them show us what they’ve got.  And trust me, they have got a lot.

Thank you for sharing you’re your little ones with us.  We think they are incredible.

Have a Great Summer!

April Newsletter

My closet is getting over crowded with props and costumes. So, we must be getting close to concert time! Yay!
As we draw closer to performance time practices become super important. We have almost completed learning all of our material. The next few weeks will be cleaning and polishing. Please make every effort to be to class each week. I realize that things come up and there may be a day that you have a conflict. That’s OK, but other than that le’ts hang out on Thursdays.
I’m, going to attempt to answer any questions that you may have about the concert. If I miss one, please feel free to shoot me an e-mail: betsyga@bellsouth.net

Costumes
Costumes are in…kind of.
Tiny Tunes are complete and have been sent home with your child today. Please have your child try it on to make sure it fits. If anything needs to be adjusted let me know ASAP.
I didn’t super love the scarves on the Tiny’s at the Christmas concert so I have sent home a red silk flower with your child today. Please use this bow instead of the sarf. Having said that, please hold on to the scarf. I may decide to use it as a neck tie in one of our numbers.

Harmonic tunes costumes are where the “kind of” comes in. Their shirts, shrugs, and ribbons are here. But, the jazz pants won’t be here for two more weeks. I decided to send the rest of the costume home today. (Did I mention that I can’t walk into my closet?) As soon as the jazz pants get here I will send them home with your child. Please remember that the pants WILL be too long. They will need to be hemmed.

Solos
Solo try-outs were held today during class. I hope all of you received the e-mail that I sent with the words to the solos attached. I will announce the solos next week. Sometimes I decide to do a duet or tri in place of a solo. I try to be fair. Some kids are more confident and can hold the notes if they sing with a friend or two.

Speaking Parts
I will send home the speaking part assignments with your kids next week. I wanted to wait until after the solo try-outs to assign speaking parts. These speaking parts need to be memorized. They need to be able to deliver them with the right inflection. Most of them are jokes. I usually have to explain to the kids why they are funny. So, if your child doesn’t “get” the joke please explain it to them.

Props
We will start practicing with some of our props during class. Sometimes the kids are sad that I won’t let them have their props. I will let them have their props but not until after the concert. If your baby is sad please help them understand that I have to keep them all together until after our show. Then, by all means, they can have their props. I certainly don’t need 30 fedora hats.

Calendar
April 12- Tuition/Performance fee due/Specialty fee (if applicable)
April 19- Speaking Parts go home
May 3- Tuition Due
May 9- Performance- Bridge Assisted Living Center
220 Collins Industrial Way
Lawrenceville, GA 30043(678) 377-8191
- 6:00- arrive
- 6:30-7:00- perform
May 10- Last Regular Class
May 18- Blocking Rehearsal- Collins Hill High
- 6:00-7:00 (everyone)-6:00-7:30 (Harmonics)
I’ll try to be prompt, but the Harmonics do have some difficult staging.
May 19- Dress Rehearsal
- 9:30-11:30 (full costume no hair or make-up)
May 19- TaVaci School of Performing Arts
Presents: This is Our Moment
6:30- kids arrive ready to go
7:00- 8:00This is Our Moment
May 23- Last day of School
May 26- Memorial Day Parade

What are YOU in charge of?
Tiny Tune Girls- Every little girl needs white footless tights and black ballet shoes. Even if you were here in December, check your tights for holes or runs. Also, make certain that your ballets still fit. Nothing is worse than squished toesies.
Boys- You need black slacks, black socks, and black shoes. Please make sure that your pants fit (no floods). We really need to make sure that your socks are black. Espescially the older boys, white socks will glow brightly in our black light number.
Harmonic tune girls- You will need black socks (again with the black light number) and black jazz shoes.
All Harmonic tunes- Each of you will need a bath robe for the Mom Song. Make sure that it has a pocket and a tie.
Tiny Tunes Specialty- Each of you will need a plain pink leotard.

I guess that will do it for now. If I think of anything else I will send a note home with your kids. Which by the way, your kids are fantastic. I love them all so much. They keep me smiling all week long. Thank you for sharing them with me.

March Newsletter

Ok. Here we go.
Costumes
Costumes have been ordered! Yay! As soon as they get here I will send them home with your kiddos. Please have them try them on to make sure they fit just right. My Harmonic tunes (3rd-7th graders) should remember that the jazz pants WILL be too long. You will have to hem them. You will most likely want to leave some length in the hem to let them down later. I don’t know how it happens, but these kids can grow 5 inches in a week.
If you already have a costume, PLEASE try it on. If something needs to be changed, let me know ASAP.
Props$10
This concert has several props. Many I will order and have for the kids at the concert or in class so that we can practice with them. The tiny’s (pre-k-2nd grade) will have a fedora hat, and a navy baseball hat. The Harmonic’s (grades 3-7) will have gloves, a few things for their MOM song, & a color block.
These are the props that I’ll get. I need a little help with the harmonics. In the “mom song”. I would like to see all of my kids wearing a bath robe. Please look around. Don’t go buy anything new. I’m sure between all of us we can come up with enough. They need to be small enough that the kids won’t trip over them. They need to have a pocket and a belt tie.
CD’s
Last week I sent a CD home with your child. Please let your child listen to it over and over and over again. Sure it will drive you crazy. Sure you may start cursing my name. But, watch out, your kids are going to be AWESOME in May. If you got a defective CD, let me know, I’ll get you a replacement.
Specialties
The tiny tune specialty involves 8 girls. It is a 1920’s song about Singin’ In the Bathtub. It is such a cute number. The girls will need you to get them: a light pink leotard. I will get them everything else. The cost for the additional costume/props will be $8. I will add this to your April Tuition statement.
The harmonic tunes specialty is a cute song that involves all of the harmonic girls. Half of them will be singing about how they’re in love! The other half will be singing about how ridiculous it is that their friends are in love. The ones that are in love will be holding a picture of their “crush”. The cost for the additional costume/props will be $5. I will add this to your April tuition statement. Calendar
March 1- Tuition/costume/prop due CD’s go home
March 8- specialty practice begins
April 5- NO TAVACI- SPRING BREAK
April 12- Tuition/Performance fee due/Specialty fee (if applicable)
May 3- Tuition Due
May 10- Last Regular Class
May 18- Blocking Rehearsal- Collins Hill High
May 19- Dress Rehearsal AM/ Concert PM
May 23- Last day of School
May 26- Memorial Day Parade

February

I'm running...running...running behind!!! Sorry this newsletter is late! I may be running slow but your kids are keeping schedule just fine. Things at TaVaci are great. The new location is working out OK. It's not perfect, but it's not horrible.
The music for this concert is so fun. Our tiny tunes are having a blast learning the Phineas and Ferb music, and the Harmonics are rockin' out to Grease. Look for more fun this month.

If you are new to TaVaci, your child should have been fitted for a concert last week. If you weren't there or for some reason that didn't happen, I will bring the costumes again next week. You will find the costume fee added to your March tuition.
The break down for costume pricing is as follows.
Tiny Tunes Girls $75-
*sparkly dress
*black bike shorts
*black netting skirt
*ribbon for hair
You need to purchase a pair of white footless tights, and black ballet shoes

All Boys $35
*Black button down shirt $25
*red neck tie $10
You need to purchase black slacks, black socks, black church shoes

Harmonic Girls $62
*Black layering shirt-$14
*red sequin shrug-$20
*Black jazz pants-$25
*ribbon for hair-$3
You need to purchase black socks and black jazz shoes

Calendar of Events
February 9- Esther flying solo/Betsy supporting daughter in her debut as "The Magic Carpet" in Alladin!
March 1- Tuition/costume/prop due CD’s go home
March 8- specialty practice begins
April 5- NO TAVACI- SPRING BREAK
April 12- Tuition/Performance fee due
May 3- Tuition Due
May 10- Last Regular Class
May 18- Blocking Rehearsal- Collins Hill High
May 19- Dress Rehearsal AM/ Concert PM
May 23- Last day of School
May 26- Memorial Day Parade

I think that covers it for now. Thank you for your patience. Your kids are super. We love every one of them.

January

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday. We were super busy at our house enjoying being together as a family and celebrating the joy of Christmas together.
The new year brings a lot of “new” for TaVaci.
New Location: Please check the blog: spotlightkids.com for the address for our new practice location. For those of you who have been with us you will remember the Masonic Lodge. It’s an “antique” building right in Down town Dacula. When I called them to ask if we could come back, they told me that we always have a home with them. I thought it was very sweet. With the new location comes a few things to remember:
-shoes must be worn to class. As I mentioned in the other post the floor stays cold all year round because it’s concrete. With that in mind, help our little one choose shoes that are easy to dance in. Flip-Flops always cause trouble.
-The lodge is a big, open, echoy (is that even a real word?) room. Because of the acustics, I will ask that parents and family wait outside. The parking has been changed around the lodge. So, be careful that you park on the correct side of the street =). Because the doors lead right out to the road, I will have Ms. Esther bring the kids to the door at the end of class. Please be there waiting. I don’t want any of my friends running out into the road.
-I always tell my friends to come “hang out with me” if they don’t see their parents right away. If you could just let Esther know that you are there I would appreciate it. I don’t want to lose anyone.
New Music: All of our material is new. It’s kind of sad, but we won’t be singing any of our Christmas songs again. But, keep the CD. I know all of my friends love to remember their TaVaci Christmas songs year after year. I have kids come up to me long after our concerts and tell me that they still listen to their cd’s. So, fun. I know that our kids will love this new music.
New Friends: We have several new friends and siblings joining us for the spring. Welcome. We can’t wait to get to know you and share our fun with you. If you have a friend that has been thinking about TaVaci or wondering what in the world you’re talking about, January is a great time to bring them along. I’m totally fine with that.
New Calendar: We will add dates to this calendar as they become available, but I wanted to let you know a few key dates right away.
January 12th- TaVaci Starts- New location/Tuition due $35
February 2- Tuition due/costume fittings (new students only)
March 1- Tuition due/ CD’s go home
March 8- specialty practice begins
April 5- NO TAVACI- SPRING BREAK
April 12- Tuition/Performance fee due
May 3- Tuition Due
May 10- Last Regular Class
May 18- Blocking Rehearsal- Collins Hill High
May 19- Dress Rehearsal AM/ Concert PM
May 23- Last day of School
May 26- Memorial Day Parade
This is a rough draft and things will be added, but hopefully it gives you a point of reference.
I’m excited for the new year. As always, please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you for helping me do what I love,
Betsy Baugh
770-480-4491

location! location! Location!

I got so excited at the concert about how incredible our kids performed that I forgot to make the "location" announcement.
because of it's more central location, we will be holding our classes at the Masonic Lodge in Dacula. I can't find an exact address for the lodge! I know, that's odd. But,the bike shop a couple doors downs address is: 2493 2nd avenue. Dacula, GA 30019. If you're facing the buildings, the lodge is 2 or 3 doors to the right from the bike shop. It's a big white brick building with pillars.
A couple of things To keep in mind. The lodge has concrete floors. So, I won't allow the kids to take off their shoes. I'll go down earlier each Thursday to make sure it's warm, but the floor is ALWAYS cold. I don't want any of my friends to get "cold feet" so shoes must stay on.
It's not the perfect solution, but it works. All we really need is a big room and an outlet.
Our kids are amazing and I'm still smiling about our concert. The new material is exciting. The kids are going to love it.
REMEMBER,CLASSES START NEXT WEEK! Don't come this Thursday, we won't be there.
I can't wait to hear about everyone's vacation. But, I'm also excited to start our new music.
See you next week!